Peach (color)
Peach is a color that combines pink and orange colors. This color is named for the pale color of the peach fruit. Like the color apricot, the color called peach is paler than most actual peach fruits and seems to have been formulated (like the color apricot) primarily to create a pastel palette of colors for interior design. Peach can also be described as pale orange.
Peach (#FFE5B4)
#FFE5B4
Peach
| Peach | |
|---|---|
 Color coordinates | |
| Hex triplet | #FFE5B4 |
| sRGBB (r, g, b) | (255, 229, 180) |
| HSV (h, s, v) | (39°, 29%, 100%) |
| CIELChuv (L, C, h) | (92, 42, 63°) |
| Source | BF2S Colour Guide |
| B: Normalized to [0–255] (byte) | |
Displayed at right is the color peach.
This shade of peach approximates the color of the interior flesh of that variety of peaches known as white peaches.
The first recorded use of peach as a color name in English was in 1588. [1]
Etymology of peach
The etymology of the color peach (and the fruit): the word comes from the Middle English peche, derived from Middle French, in turn derived from Latin persica, i.e., the fruit from Persia. In actuality, the ultimate origin of the peach fruit was from China.
Image of a peach fruit
This image of a peach fruit is an 1895 watercolor.
Papaya whip
| Papaya Whip | |
|---|---|
| Color coordinates | |
| Hex triplet | #FFEFD5 |
| sRGBB (r, g, b) | (255, 239, 213) |
| HSV (h, s, v) | (37°, 16%, 100%) |
| CIELChuv (L, C, h) | (95, 24, 63°) |
| Source | X11 |
| B: Normalized to [0–255] (byte) | |
Displayed at right is the web color papaya whip, a pale tint of peach.
Peach-Yellow
| Peach-Yellow | |
|---|---|
| Color coordinates | |
| Hex triplet | #FADFAD |
| sRGBB (r, g, b) | (250, 223, 173) |
| HSV (h, s, v) | (39°, 31%, 98%) |
| CIELChuv (L, C, h) | (90, 43, 63°) |
| Source | BF2S Colour Guide |
| B: Normalized to [0–255] (byte) | |
Displayed at right is the color peach-yellow.
Peach Puff
| Peach Puff | |
|---|---|
| Color coordinates | |
| Hex triplet | #FFDAB9 |
| sRGBB (r, g, b) | (255, 218, 185) |
| HSV (h, s, v) | (28°, 27%, 100%) |
| CIELChuv (L, C, h) | (89, 38, 49°) |
| Source | X11 |
| B: Normalized to [0–255] (byte) | |
Displayed at right is the web color peach puff.
Deep Peach
| Deep Peach | |
|---|---|
| Color coordinates | |
| Hex triplet | #FFCBA4 |
| sRGBB (r, g, b) | (255, 203, 164) |
| HSV (h, s, v) | (26°, 36%, 100%) |
| CIELChuv (L, C, h) | (85, 50, 43°) |
| Source | Crayola |
| B: Normalized to [0–255] (byte) | |
Displayed at right is the color deep peach.
This is the color called peach in Crayola crayons (formerly called flesh before 1962).
Peach-Orange
| Peach-Orange | |
|---|---|
| Color coordinates | |
| Hex triplet | #FFCC99 |
| sRGBB (r, g, b) | (255, 204, 153) |
| HSV (h, s, v) | (30°, 40%, 100%) |
| CIELChuv (L, C, h) | (85, 55, 48°) |
| Source | BF2S Colour Guide |
| B: Normalized to [0–255] (byte) | |
Displayed at right is the color peach-orange.
This shade of peach is the closest to the actual color of the regular (not white) varieties of peach fruit, such as the Elberta peach and the yellow cling peach.
Shades of peach color comparison chart
- Papaya Whip (Hex: #FFEFD5) (RGB: 255, 239, 213))
- Peach-Yellow (Hex: #FADFAD) (RGB: 250, 223, 173)
- PEACH (Hex: #FFE5B4) (RGB: 255, 229, 180)
- Peach Puff (web color) (Hex: #FFDAB9) (RGB: 255, 218, 185)
- Deep Peach (Crayola Peach) (Hex: #FFCBA4) (RGB: 255, 203, 164)
- Peach-Orange (Hex: #FFCC99) (RGB: 255, 204, 153)
Peach in human culture
 |
- Peach resembles average Caucasian skin tone. Crayola created a peach colored crayon in 1949 named Flesh, which was subsequently renamed peach in 1962 in response to the activists of the civil rights movement, who pointed out that this color is only the color of the flesh of Caucasians.
- To give someone peaches and cream means to give them a really nice gift that you know they will like.
- To say that someone is peachy cheeked means that they look like they are in excellent health.
- In interior design, the color peach is popular for kitchens and also for bedrooms.
- In Art Deco interior design of the 1920s and 1930s, peach colored mirrors (as well as blue mirrors) were popular in luxury homes and in exclusive night clubs, restaurants, and department stores.
- In slang, to say that something is peachy keen means that it's really wonderful.
- The color peach represents immortality in Chinese culture (in Western culture, the color amaranth represents immortality). In China, the magical peaches of immortality were said to be consumed by the immortals due to their mystic virtue of conferring longevity on all who ate them. In Daoism The divinity Yu Huang, also called the Jade Emperor, and his mother called Xi Wangmu also known as Queen Mother of the West are said to be the guardians of the peaches of immortality. Xi Wangmu ensured the gods' everlasting existence by feeding them the peaches of immortality. The immortals residing in the palace of Xi Wangmu were said to celebrate an extravagant banquet called the Pantao Hui or "The Feast of Peaches". The immortals waited 6,000 years before gathering for this magnificent feast; the peach trees of immortality put forth leaves once every thousand years and it requires another 3,000 years for the fruit to ripen. Ivory statues depicting Xi Wangmu's attendants often held three peaches.
- The peach often plays an important part in Chinese tradition and is symbolic of long life. One example is in the peach-gathering story of Zhang Daoling, who many say is the true founder of Daoism.
- Elder Zhang Guo, one of the Chinese Eight Immortals, is often depicted carrying a Peach of Immortality.
- There is a story in Daoism about a Chinese Emperor who had unnecessarily killed many people who ate the peaches of immortality but didn't become immortal. The lesson of the story is that eating the peaches of immortality doesn't work unless one is also virtuous, eats a moderate vegan diet, and practices meditation exercises such as Qi Gong.
- The peach blossoms are highly prized in Chinese culture, ranked slightly lower than mei blossom (both types of blossoms are used as decorations for Chinese New Year.
References
- ^ Maerz and Paul A Dictionary of Color New York:1930--McGraw Hill Page 201; Color Sample of Peach: Page 41 Plate 9 Color Sample A5